Son of a King

Summary:
When women begin showing up dead all across Toronto with distinctive puncture wounds on their necks, Vicki Nelson, PI, is on the job – along with her 450-year-old vampire partner. But if he’s not behind the attacks – who is? A strange, young couple new to the city could hold the key to discovering the truth. Handling two kinds of vampires was hard enough. Just how many different sorts were there? Second story in the “Different Sorts” series FINAL CHAPTER -- NOW POSTED!

Notes:ATTENTION READERS: DO NOT STEAL MY STORIES. Someone has stolen some of my stories from this website and posted them as their own on fanfiction.net. It is plaigarism, it is stealing and it is illegal. Read, enjoy -- but don't steal. Second story in the “Different Sorts” series -- takes place after "Different Sorts." Crossover with Buffy and the new “Blood Ties” series on Lifetime. Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

11. Chapter 11

Edward looked up at Henry and a moment of understanding passed between them. “We’ll need to get her somewhere quiet,” Edward said. “She will start screaming soon.”

Henry nodded, lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the sewer – into the predawn light of Toronto.

* * *

Three days later, the screaming had softened to a consistent moan, muffled by the pillows they’d piled around her head. Vicki was almost dead now. She’d wake up soon.

Mike paced the expanse of Edward and Bella’s living room yet again – still limping badly from his battle wound. He hadn’t left the apartment since Henry had carried Vicki there after the fight in the sewer; after Edward bit her. He still wasn’t satisfied with the explanations he’d been given. They told him Vicki was dying, that she’d been as good as dead – and the only thing Edward did was make it so that instead of being worm-food dead, she’d be the living dead. She’d be a vampire.

“But why you?” he’d asked. “Why not Spike? Or Henry?”

Edward had sighed, rubbed his temples, and responded the same way he’d responded the last three times Mike had asked. “Because it could only be me. Spike has a soul, but if he sired her, she’d be possessed by a demon. She would lose her soul. If Henry bit her, they could never be together – and I know you have this whole jealousy issue, but wouldn’t you rather she be with Henry than with no one? It’s true, my bite has left her in pain – but it will subside soon and then she’ll be changed. She’ll be a vampire, soul intact – I pray – and stronger than she could have ever been as a human. And she can be with Henry. She’ll see again.”

Vicki’s sight would be restored; she’d see better than she ever did as a human – even before her vision started slipping away from her. She’d be faster, stronger … better at all the skills she used in her job as a cop and as a PI. Only, she’d be dead. Was probably dead already.

After three days, Mike had only grown more anxious. Quietly, the front door opened and clicked shut. Henry stepped into the room silently, his eyes meeting Edward’s. Henry had not liked Edward, at first; had not appreciated his and Bella’s presence in his city, in Toronto. He’d even come to resent this battle beneath the sewers and being dragged into the Slayer’s war. But now, he and Edward had reached an understanding – knowing that each was willing to kill the woman they loved in order to save them and spend eternity with them. Only in his case, Henry couldn’t do it himself; Edward did it for him. Edward’s bite would make it possible for Henry and Vicki to be together. It was something Henry could have never given her. Silently, in his thoughts, Henry asked how she was. He’d left just before dawn the day before and had returned, now that night had fallen again.

“It’ll be soon,” Edward said. “I’ll go check on her now.”

Henry nodded. He did not follow Edward, but he did not sit down. He remained standing, almost bouncing on his heels. Mike still limped back and forth across the room.

Edward walked quietly into the spare bedroom, shutting the door softly behind him. Bella sat on the side, watching Vicki carefully. She’d watched the beads of sweat form on her head … and then melt away as her skin cooled and hardened. Bella reached out and took Edward’s hand as he approached.

Beside her on the bed, Vicki opened her eyes – dark and ringed with red – and gasped, coughing. She sat up, hacking and wheezing. Bella held her arm and rubbed her back as Vicki leaned forward. Edward went to her other side, and also held her. Vicki continued coughing, spitting up blood. She wiped her mouth, and bent over at the stomach, clutching her abdomen.

The door opened and Buffy stepped inside, carrying two jars of blood. She’d done the same for Bella when she’d been changed and now it almost felt like a routine. Edward didn’t like the feeling; he didn’t like what it implied. He vowed this was the last human he would ever change, dying or not. No more. He walked away from the bed, as Bella held Vicki’s head and helped her gulp down the blood.

Vicki had greedily swallowed both jars of blood and now sat back in the pillows, panting. Bella was helping her slow down her breathing – since air was no longer necessary. As a vampire, breathing was simply a habit. Not breathing didn’t hurt, it just felt uncomfortable.

The shock seemed to affect Vicki less than it had Bella. But, unlike Bella, in the moments before she’d died, Edward had managed to explain – however briefly – what would happen to her if he bit her; if he changed her. And Vicki had accepted it. So while the change and this horrible awakening had been startling – it was not entirely unforeseen. She’d had a few brief moments to prepare herself before the venom had consumed her.

A very gentle knock came at the door, and Henry poked his head in. Vicki sat up and struggled to put a feeble smile on her lips. Henry slipped through the door and shut it behind him. He stepped forward cautiously. Buffy had warned him that Vicki was still getting used to the change. He only vaguely remembered his own transformation and it had been different from what Vicki had just experienced; was still experiencing.

“Hi Vicki,” he said, stepping carefully towards the bed. Silently, Bella slipped out of the room.

“Hi Henry,” Vicki replied. She looked him over. “I never noticed … your hair has some red in it.”

Henry let out a loud breath; it was almost a laugh.

“No,” Vicki said, “I just never saw it … I mean, I couldn’t. But I can now … I can see … everything.” She sounded awestruck.

Feeling emboldened by her tone, Henry stepped closer and sat on the bed next to her. Tentatively, he reached out a hand and cupped her cheek. She pressed her face into his palm and met his lips as he brought them to hers. Greedily, she pressed against him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and tangling her fingers in his curly hair. Henry held her to him fiercely.

When their lips finally parted, they leaned their foreheads together. Vicki was very careful, gauging each breath she took. Slowly, a grin spread across her lips and she began to laugh. Not sure why she was laughing, Henry was soon chuckling along with her.

“This is really weird,” she said, finally. “It’s going to take some getting used to.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help you,” Henry pledged. “I owe Edward a great deal … he saved you for me.”

“So … we don’t have to live apart?”

“No,” Henry said, smiling. “If I’d bitten you … then, yes. But you’re a different sort of vampire, Vicki. One that I can live with quite peacefully. And since we’re not exactly fighting for the same food chain … well, I think we’ll get along just fine.”

“I’m still not so sure about this new diet,” she said, eyeing the jars of blood she’d drained doubtfully. True, it had tasted delicious – but the idea was still unsettling.

”You’ll get used to it,” Henry said. “Besides, you’ll never gain another kilo.”

And with that good news, Vicki grinned and kissed Henry again.

* * *

“I don’t understand,” Mike said, still pacing – limping – across the living room. “Why can’t I see her?”

“Because,” Edward said, rubbing his hands over his eyes, “she would kill you – without even meaning to.”

“Really,” Bella said, trying to be gentle. “I’ve been through the same thing. Trust me. She doesn’t want to hurt you – but she’s new to this and the smell of your blood will drive her insane. Her instincts will take over and she’ll kill you without even meaning to; without even thinking about it.”

“You should go home, detective,” Buffy said. “Try to get some sleep. I promise, we’ll call you when she’s ready for human guests.”

“But –“

“I’ll walk you home,” Buffy said, slipping on a jacket.

Exhausted, his calf throbbing, Mike finally conceded defeat and left, reluctantly, glancing back at the closed door – behind which his former flame now lay dead, in the arms of another dead man.